New animal shelter opens

Friday, November 27, 2009Mike McCoy story & photos

Female terrier mix

Dexter officials have completed a new building at their Animal Control Shelter in the eastern part of the city that will provide a temperature controlled environment for up to 34 dogs. The new facility is 1,300 square feet and cost approximately $40,000.

Jeff Jarrell, Dexter animal control officer, said the building has 17 individual kennels. Each kennel can hold two dogs. The facility opened two weeks ago and was a big improvement at the city animal shelter. The old building is being used to house cats. Stray dogs and cats picked up by Jarrell are housed at the shelter.

Jarrell is busy trying to find homes for the 26 dogs now housed at the shelter. Several dogs have just been picked up and must be held for a set period of time before being put up for adoption. Two of the newest additions are a Great Pyrenees and a Labrador. Both are very friendly and accustomed to being around people. Jarrell thinks they belong to someone, since the the Lab has a collar with no identification, and hopes that the owner will contact him.

Female Yorkie mix

Jarrell urges anyone that is missing a cat or dog to contact him at 624-0408. He can be reached any time and arrangements can be made to view the dogs at the shelter. Anyone wishing to adopt a dog can also call that number and set up a viewing of the animals at the shelter. The city has a $20 fee for adopting an animal. The owner is given a form to be filled out when the dog is spayed or neutered and the form returned to the city.

On Monday there was an assortment of dogs, including several Labradors and Lab mixes. There was also a miniature Yorkie mix, a terrier mix and a German Shepherd mix.

Jarrell became the animal control officer for Dexter two years ago. When he started in the position, he realized that a better facility was needed to house the stray animals. The operating budget for animal control in 2009 is $5,000. There were no funds for a building program.

The city has an ordinance requiring all cats and dogs to be on leashes. Fines collected from violations of this ordinance go into the general revenues of the city. Animal Control is part of the city Police Department.

Mayor Joe Weber, City Administrator Mark Stidham and city aldermen this year built into the budget $40,000 to construct the new building at the Animal Shelter. An outside sub-contractor was hired to do the concrete work and city workers did the plumbing, eletrical and helped with construction of the building. Trevor and Tim Pulley also worked on erecting the metal building.

Jarrell is proud of the new facility which provides much more room and a better environment for the animals. The building has a concrete floor with built-in floor grates for easy cleaning.

The facility stays near capacity.

Jarrell hopes those seeking to add a pet to the family at Christmas will consider adopting one of the dogs at the animal shelter. There is a wide variety of dogs, including puppies, who appear to be starving for some attention and a good home.

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Kudos to city leaders for taking a step forward to solve the problem of strays. $20 is a very low fee for adoptions.

Questions: 1) Are you taking only strays from within the city? 2) What are you going to do with dogs which aren't adopted? I see no choice but to euthanize them; otherwise, your facility becomes over-populated like Sun Dog did. 3) How are you going to euthanize them? Ah, can't talk about that, can we??

-- Posted by goat lady on Fri, Nov 27, 2009, at 4:03 PM

Let's hope families who have puppies on their Christmas list will check these out before spending hundreds on dogs from puppy mills. If a specific breed is important, check out the rescue sites for that animal breed. There are many ways to help in giving homeless pets a second chance.

I hope Stoddard County folks will support this endeavor. The reward will be yours!

-- Posted by GONENOW on Fri, Nov 27, 2009, at 4:19 PM

goat lady he doesn't euthanize them, he takes them out to county road 703 and drops them off

-- Posted by cdexter on Fri, Nov 27, 2009, at 8:50 PM

Mmmmm...cdexter, you must live on CR703...I gather...

-- Posted by goat lady on Sat, Nov 28, 2009, at 8:56 AM

Dexter's animal control officer appears to do the best he can with what he is given. The trouble is, the overall program does not place a true priority on the welfare of the animals that can't help themselves. How many YEARS did the old dog pound operate with terrible conditions for the dogs and cats?

Are the dogs on the cement floor in the winter or do they have good bedding? Does the shelter have a VOLUNTEER program to exercise the dogs daily or do they just languish in the kennels until their "Kill date"?

Don't pat yourselves on the back too much just because you erected a "building". If you don't have an active program to advertise the animlas that are there all you will do is continue what you have always done. Hold the dogs and cats for acertain time and then kill them.

I wonder if everyone in Dexter, especially the dog and cat lovers, understand how the system works. Euthanasia is a real requirement of course and should be carried out only by a VETERINARIAN by injection. That is the ONLY humane way to do it. Are theses dogs put to death with no one there to hold them as they slip away? Do they die very scared?

You put a phone number in the paper one time saying people can contact Mr. Jarrell and "arrange" a time to view the animals. If you had a volunteer program you could have the shelter OPEN for some regular hours either daily or at least several times a week. Now the lawyer will talk about liability of NON-government workers being around the dogs of course. There is always a way NOT to accomplish something worthwhile....on the other hand, "where there is a will, there is a way."

What you have is a dog & cat POUND. Don't confuse it with a true shelter where animals are socialized and exercised so they have a much better chance of being adopted. Yep..it's great there's new building but a new building doesn't "make" the program.

The Statesman could help greatly by DONATING some space with a few pictures of dogs that are ready for adoption. Local VETS could help greatly by giving BIG DISCOUNTS for spay & neuter surgery.

VOLUNTEERS could completely change the way people view the shelter. There are hundreds of young people in Dexter who look for good casues to participate in. We do it here where I live and when I am down there walking a dog that may have not gotten out of his or her kennel that day it sure makes me feel good...and I know the dog is much happier than I am.

Sadly, this will probably be the only article you see concerning the animal shelter. I hope I am wrong. Get those pictures published on a regular basis and assign a reporter to include the shelter as part of their regular duties around town....taking pictures and writing a few lines...at least weekly.

-- Posted by Bearcat72 on Sat, Nov 28, 2009, at 9:14 AM

...and I do understand very well the difficult tasks that Mr. Jarrell has to complete daily. It is one more reason why a volunteer program would work so well. A few people will need to get together and come up with a game plan. I very respectfully urge someone to step forward and take that bull by the horns. You will receive blessings 10 fold compared to the work that's involved. Believe me, I've been blessed with the health to be able to help where I can here...and I'm doing the easier stuff.

-- Posted by Bearcat72 on Sat, Nov 28, 2009, at 6:39 PM

...there is just no way those 2 beautiful little dogs pictured in the article aren't already adopted. Get the pictures up for people to see on a regular basis and the dogs will go home rather than be put to sleep.

Maybe they can be put on "Petfinder" also...but again, someone will need to volunteer to do the entires, etc, etc.

:-) Woof, woof!!

Semper Fi,

Dogman

-- Posted by Bearcat72 on Sat, Nov 28, 2009, at 6:41 PM

my bad...I meant to say someone will need to volunteer to do the "entries" vice entires.

-- Posted by Bearcat72 on Sat, Nov 28, 2009, at 11:07 PM

Aha! I was misled: The facility is NOT a "shelter": It is a "pound"! BIG difference!

I completely agree with you, Bearcat. You are right ON in all your information. I work with a volunteer group north of here, and I know how hard it is to get anything done in this area. With no true shelters, we have to rely on volunteers for much of the help.

The best small town newspaper coverage of dogs to adopt is the North Stoddard Countian, but that coverage wouldn't be possible without a good volunteer photographer out in the field, taking those shots that win people's hearts!

-- Posted by goat lady on Sun, Nov 29, 2009, at 5:16 PM

To help with the problem of volunteers and being allowed to volunteer...down here in Abilene, the Humane Society offers classes for potential volunteers, so they are truly qualified and effective.

Now that they have a new building, perhaps the good citizens could see to it that the status is upgraded from pound to shelter...unite in the cause and make it happen.

-- Posted by BarbaraNTexas on Sun, Nov 29, 2009, at 8:01 PM

i was wondering if anyone knows if sundog is still open?

-- Posted by pearl1201 on Mon, Nov 30, 2009, at 10:05 AM

I am very disappointed in the shelter. I lost my 12 week old yorkie/silkie the one pictured on December 18 and it was found on December 20. I reported it to the police. They will not return my full blooded puppy. When I called the shelter on Friday they would not even talk to me because they were not open told me to call back Monday. When I reached them on Monday they adopted the dog on Thursday. Kinda funny they would not talk to me on Friday but can adopt my pet on Thanksgiving Day. If you have this dog I want you to know this is a full blooded Yorkie/ Silkie and will be 13 weeks old on Wednesday her name is Dolly. This was a family pet and was very loved. I would love to have this dog returned to me.

-- Posted by dsb72 on Mon, Nov 30, 2009, at 4:33 PM

Dsb72, something doesn't add up in your story. Did you refuse to pay the fee? And why are you so hung up on the fact that it's "full-blooded"? If you love it, it shouldn't be a big deal if it isn't "full-blooded." I'll bet you aren't telling us the whole story, dude (or dudette).

No, Sundog is not open anymore. All those 100 cats were taken up to Fruitland and are living their lives out at Safe Harbor Animal Sanctuary, which is a no-kill shelter. They even built a new facility to house them.

-- Posted by goat lady on Mon, Nov 30, 2009, at 4:59 PM

GoatLady or whoever is concerned. I do know the owner of the dog and they are telling the truth. She has raised the dog since birth and even had to bottle feed it when she was a baby. The police station was called, KDEX was called and they even called the trade-eo to see if it was found.(sp) There are two young boys in the home that miss this dog very much and are very sad to know they could have gotten it back. The owner called on Friday and they were told to call back on Monday the 30th because they were not open until then. Kind of funny the dog was gave away on Thanksgiving could they not have told her that when she was called on Friday.

Oh yeah Goatlady I am sure she would have paid the fee if someone would have talked to her and not told to call back on Monday.

-- Posted by apple25 on Mon, Nov 30, 2009, at 5:36 PM

Just in case anyone was wondering how the puppy got lost. The owners had let her outside, in a fenced in yard, when they went to bring her back in she was gone. They spent several hours walking the streets looking for her. They even contacted the neighbors.

-- Posted by apple25 on Mon, Nov 30, 2009, at 6:54 PM

Well, if that's the case, then the pound didn't follow the law on adoptions: A stray must be kept for 5 days before being put up for adoption. The rescue people I work with also know that they have to advertise the dog, keep it for 5 days, and then if no one comes forward, they can adopt it out.

-- Posted by goat lady on Tue, Dec 1, 2009, at 7:01 AM

Thank you Goat Lady, it is just sad that it happened this way! I sure hope Dolly is in a good home! If you know the owner or if anyone reading does please tell them to take good care of her. Thanks!

-- Posted by apple25 on Tue, Dec 1, 2009, at 9:07 AM

dsb72...you need to get a lawyer and FORCE the city to DIRECT the shelter to retrieve your dog and get it back to you. If everything you say is true then the ARROGANCE of those responsible is showing. That 5 day rule is very common and is there for a REASON....to give the owner and the animal a fair chance to get back together. YOU need to pursue this and go STAND ON MR. JARRELL"S DESK until he contacts the people he ILLEGALLY adopted the dog to. He won't give you their contact information but he can call them and tell them the true OWNER'S want their dog and that HE made a BIG MISTAKE.

Call the editor and get the reporters down to the shelter on this or it WON'T get better.

-- Posted by Bearcat72 on Tue, Dec 1, 2009, at 9:18 AM

well it does make a reader wonder,,just as i did when i saw the photo,that a clean and well fed dog came to the shelter and no one called about it before if was sold(and so fast)well i hope that we hear that dsb72 did not lay down if this story is true.i would fight to the end to get my dog back.

-- Posted by pearl1201 on Tue, Dec 1, 2009, at 11:29 AM

...and the Dexter Statesman should do a full follow-up story for sure. The people who adopted the dog should come forward on their own if they are dog lovers and seek out the lady who lost the dog. It is the ONLY right ending to this story.

-- Posted by Bearcat72 on Tue, Dec 1, 2009, at 2:18 PM

Do you know where we can get a copy of the shelter laws? Dsb72 does not want to put other dogs in danger of not getting adopted out.

-- Posted by apple25 on Tue, Dec 1, 2009, at 6:38 PM

I have seen Mr Jarrell down at the shelter , pound call it what you want many days , weekends and eveings I have called him many times to see the dogs or to drop off dog food ...I have just stopped by when i have seen him there just to see what dogs was there ....He is a very nice man and I think does the best he can ...the new shelter was a blessing to see going up .... so it is a start ... I to would love to see the Dogs and cats on petfinder and maybe that is a step that will or is being taken if not maybe someone out there that knows how to do it could take that step im sure it would be great deal for all ...

-- Posted by Dog Lover 1 on Tue, Dec 1, 2009, at 6:42 PM

Response by Administrator:

Animal Control Officer Jeff Jarrell was contacted regarding the adoption of the dog and said that the Yorkie in question was not the same Yorkie that dsb72 reported as missing. The Yorkie pictured on The Statesman's website is amore mature dog who was left in a box on the carport of a Dexter Police dispatcher.

The owner took the sibling of this pet to the officer and she was told that it was identical match. We have a picture if you would like to see it

-- Posted by apple25 on Wed, Dec 2, 2009, at 11:23 AM

I do think Mr. Jarrell does a great job and am glad we have someone willing to do this. I just wish this dog owner was given a chance to get her dog back. I don't think it was right the way this was done.

-- Posted by apple25 on Wed, Dec 2, 2009, at 11:31 AM

Yes Administrator the Officer also told me that this was not the same dog that I was describing but when I seen her picture in the paper I knew with no doubt that this is my dog. It is kinda funny that they told you it was dropped off in a box when they told me it was dropped off in a pink crate with a pink collar and a bag of dog food and doggie diapers. I would like to see the return of my dog Dolly but everyone I have contacted tells me they can not return the dog to me, his rightful owner. I was also given two different stories on when the dog was adopted I was first told on Thursday (Thanksgiving Day) and then told on Friday. They need to get there stories straight. Something sounds fishy about adoption.

-- Posted by dsb72 on Wed, Dec 2, 2009, at 12:44 PM

Just one more reason why MICROCHIPS should be in every dog we love. That would have solved this issue immediately.